A plan set in motion

Insect count: only small flying bugs

T5B: 1) I got to talk to my family! 2) I got to go to church. 3) My mom told me I'm not forgotten at home. :,) 4) I got to msg my BFF. 5) I got two nice emails from a friend here in Japan that really made my day (yesterday and today).

Basal temp: 36.84 (yay? It went down but it's still up there - I wish I knew the significance of it all!)

I woke up early (I think the earliest I've ever woken on Sunday) since I was exhausted and went to bed early last night. I actually was glad to keep my sleep closer to the same rhythm. The summer really messed with my school sleep schedule. That being said, I haven't played "magnet desk" yet. (As I'm typing this I'm feeling strangely stressed. I don't know what makes me almost paralyzed with fear before the week starts. I mentioned before that it happened when I was teaching at Walden. It was, maybe, worse there because I taught Tuesdays and Thursdays. So that meant that twice a week I was terrified about the next day. All my students were stellar and I LOVED the staff and administration there. On top of that, I am a planner and typically had detailed plans of what I was going to teach. But there was something about standing in front of that first class. Once I got there, I snapped out of it and would just take charge. Here it's the same but luckily less often as teaching continuously (Mon-Fri) seems to make me immune to it once I get past my first class on Monday. It does mean that I have panic attacks on Sunday nights though. All the talking I do ~to myself~ has yet to have an affect. Sheesh. Sometimes I will feel trepidation ~ especially when I am teaching a new lesson for the first time ~ but this is different. I just don't like being so panicky - it makes my chest hurt and that's scary to me. :/ Still! I am remembered at home and I have a follower on my blog that turned out to be a friend. I was pleasantly surprised as I haven't seen her since she came to my reception. :) Anyway...) I got ready for church and then I got on my way.

It was hot outside but the breeze was nice. It's funny, here I have been saying thank goodness I brought a cool summer but in talking to the teachers at the school, they said this has been a very hot summer. All the rain has made it swelteringly humid. So though I only experienced one day at Morioka's high (35 - and it was in Akita!), I hear this summer has been super hot. I mean, I have felt it's been hot, but just like spicy foods: I'm not a good judge. LOL I am sensitive to the heat and completely not sensitive to spicy foods. :) When I got to church I was a little shaky and overheated, but the a/c kicked in pretty quick. I met the other new missionary: Elder Hakaraia from NZ. :) He's interesting. But he shared some stories that really touched my heart in Gospel Doctrine. The whole time at church I was just manic happy. I couldn't stop grinning. I love being at church. I also asked Fumie-shimai to give me a ride to church next week (my plan set in motion) since the elders have that other bike to give to me. She said great and penciled me in. :) She's so wonderful! I'm so glad for her help. She wrote me a very sweet note. It just boggles my mind how much she loves me. I love the members, my friends, and my students like crazy - but I also am the oldest of nine so I am perhaps a little overactive in my love, lol. Still I am blessed to be surrounded by such good people. I wish I could be better.

After church I got to skype family and it was fantastic! I got to see my Maman, Papa, Pony, Nod, JT, Josh, and Adri. It's been ...3 weeks? since I got to skype them and it just made me so homesick. It's so strange how two people have left from my office and gone home and another friend of mine is leaving Japan in a week and a half. I envy them and don't. I definitely feel like I was leaving things unfinished if I left now. (Don't worry Japan! I'm not leaving early. ;D) I spent a LONG time skyping them and ended up biking up at the hottest time of day.

When I got home, I took a cold shower (that was actually already planned but I NEEDED it too). Then I spent some time trying to watch a show. I had a hard time focusing though. I would watch 30 seconds, then pause and surf my phone, then watch the show another 30 seconds, then wander around my apartment... not sure what is going on in my brain but it feels like chaos up there right now. In any case, I need to cook myself some dinner and do dishes as I need them for my lunches this week. I will have to flog myself to do it as I really don't want to atm. Will someone tell me the perks of being an adult again? *sigh* Hope you all have a fabulous Sabbath! XOXO, A

Fabulous hair days must be documented

That space between the bushes and the pole is where that truck was (during the spider incident). The place where my bike is (from where I took the picture) is where I saw the giant spider on my arm. ARMageddon. Yep. I went there.

My mom and sisters cheering me up (since I was feeling esp homesick today)

I didn't even realize I was making faces too, lol

We are a beautiful bunch!

LOL Nod :D

Josh (and I have NO IDEA what I'm doing, lol)

My turn to make a face back

more faces

Saying goodbye - there was a love competition :)

 Oh and ps! I have only used 2/3rds of my data so far this month! I made it!! Not having classes the first 19 days of the month made a big difference. ;)